Without being groundbreaking or revolutionary, Red Dead Redemption 2 does almost everything perfect. The level of polishing and the amount of content makes its “the beauty” and “the beast” at the same time. No matter what you decide to do in Red Dead Redemption 2, it's impossible not to notice the amazing level of detail.

Elden Ring is everything that I dreamed of and more. Although I did expect From Software to refine the Souls recipe, I was quite surprised by the large amount of new mechanics and how well the Souls formula has been implemented in an open-world environment. But it’s not just the exploration aspect that makes Elden Ring the best Souls game out there. The massive open-world that doesn’t feel empty at all, the huge number of bosses and dungeons, as well as the boss fights elevate it to an entirely new level. Elden Ring is From Software at its best.

Even with some of its shortcomings on PS5, Baldur’s Gate III remains one of the best games of our time. Looking at the amazing quantity and quality of the content, you will most likely forgive the developers for the bugs – that most likely will be fixed through patches. No matter if you are a fan of RPGs or not, Baldur’s Gate III is a game that you should experience and let yourself be enveloped in the adventure that will make you feel not just part of it but will actually make you believe that you are living it.

A true masterpiece by today’s standards, the newest Zelda game is a technological wonder considering it’s been made to run on a rather outdated console. This is a must-play even if you haven’t played a Zelda game before, but you might not enjoy it if you’re not into sandbox experiences.

Divinity: Original Sin II Definitive Edition is so complex that I think everyone will find something to like, whether it’s combat or an exciting story. The best thing I can say about it is that if I’m asked what I liked about it, I can’t pinpoint something. It’s the complete experience and the feeling of joy that it left behind.

Naughty Dog worked hard to improve the textures seen in the PS3 game, not to mention the character models, the animations, and much more.

God of War is definitely good, but some aspects lack a certain depth that will make them interesting enough to turn it into a great game. There's a very meaningful armor and weapon upgrade system that allows you to increase your power level to make fights easier, but many of the skills you unlock throughout your journey feel absolutely useless.

Thanks to an amazing cast that’s doing an outstanding job, a compelling story told through the eyes of multiple characters, and top-notch combat, this epic and heartfelt journey strikes all the right chord. It’s impossible not to recommend God of War Ragnarok, but just in case you had any doubts, I strongly advise anyone mildly interested in gaming to play Santa Monica Studio’s latest masterpiece.

While the main storyline doesn't exactly live up to expectations and it has quite a few smaller annoyances, it's still a blast to play and should offer hundreds of hours of enjoyment to any RPG fan.

The story, the combat system, the art style, the possibilities, the twists and also the technical performance makes Hades one of the best roguelite games released so far. It is a game that should not be missed, no matter your genre preferences.

I'm quite sure that Red Dead Redemption 2 doesn't redefine the open-world genre, but it surely brings it to a much higher level. And it's not just through sheer size that it does that, but by combining writing, visuals, music, voice acting, and gameplay mechanics to deliver an engrossing experience that sometimes is better than the one in the real world.

Some minor nuisances aside, I definitely enjoyed saving the president’s daughter once again, and the new elements made the experience feel much more than just a trip down memory lane with improved graphics.

Resident Evil 2 comes in 2019 in all the glory you'd expect from such a mammoth franchise, bringing players new and old the same magnificent story but with spine-chilling new graphics and mechanics that will make even those of you with nerves of steel to experience the occasional lift-off from your gaming couch. Nothing negative can be said regarding the game, except for the difficulty and sense of dread and helplessness you get sometimes, but then again, that is the recipe for a good survival-horror title!

Bloodborne is the kind of game that keeps you engaged with it long after you put it down, haunting you with a unique mix of hope and hopelessness, flaunting your own shortcomings and provoking you to overcome them through constant struggle, at the end of which awaits only more dread.

Having 2 main protagonists with such a different game style was a bold choice, but Capcom nailed it. Resident Evil Requiem feels not only a refreshing take on the Resident Evil series, but it also manages to add some interesting lore, along with offering us a great blend of horror and action. There are plenty of jaw-dropping moments, along with fan service and two endings that will certainly make you think what will happen next. And although I played every Resident Evil until Requiem, I didn’t know how Grace would fit in, considering how expansive the series had become. She is a stellar addition to the series, and having Leon back was definitely a blast. All in all, Resident Evil Requiem is an excellent game, a stunning entry for the series and it will keep you glued to the screen no matter if you’re killing enemies as Leon or experiencing true survival horror as Grace.

Street Fighter 6 is not perfect, but it is revolutionary. It manages to cater to so many tastes and expectations, without dropping the ball that the developers deserve all the praise they get. Of course, some of the fan favorites all not in the initial roster, but this probably will be addressed by the nowadays mandatory Battle Pass. But, just this once, instead of crying wolf about the greed of publishers we have to admit that we are pleasantly surprised by all the content included in Street Fighter 6. Whether you are a fan of fighting games or not, this is one title you should not miss.

Against the Storm is an engrossing and fun game. Its focus is on moment-to-moment settlement management but with a ton of gameplay ideas that make each new expedition feel unique. I love the unpredictable nature of the glades as well as the many ways to interact with the Queen’s requests and the dangerous ruins. Winning isn’t easy, although it helps a lot to open up city upgrades, but this is the rare game where failure is enjoyable. Against the Storm is compelling from the start, combines lore and mechanics in interesting ways, and offers gamers a lot of depth to explore.

Chained Echoes is a deep JRPG that will satisfy fans of the genre but is easy enough to understand to attract novices. The combat system, centered Overdrive balancing, is interesting and pretty fast for the genre. The universe, with its mix of influences and retro presentation, offers plenty of secrets and details. I would have appreciated fewer battles but with bigger consequences and, maybe, increased difficulty. But for anyone who wants a solid party-driven role-playing experience, Chained Echoes is a good choice, made with a lot of love, able to keep players engaged for its 30 hours long story.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain makes good on its word and delivers a great experience that's more than worthy of the saga's heritage. However, it's not exactly perfect, as the story requires a lot of pre-established knowledge, not to mention cassette-listening to make sense.

Overall, I found the new Shadow of the Colossus a pleasant journey peppered with some frustrating moments, especially when battling the colossi. If you can get passed that, Shadow of the Colossus can offer some epic moments and a beautiful world to explore.

Crusader Kings III has good mechanics and production but what sets it apart is the way it connects to the era it depicts. The experience leans into role-playing and personalities in a way that feels true to the image that most players have about the period between 867 to 1453. Without striving to be educational, the Paradox title also manages to be an excellent jumping-off point to learn more about the period, its main characters, its social dynamics. The development studio has also done well when it comes to post-launch support. There’s downloadable content, of course, but free patches have also arrived regularly, improving systems and eliminating bugs. But more work is needed both in the balance and the immersion department. Crusader Kings III is an excellent way to tell and enjoy stories and I can’t wait to experience how Paradox will add depth to its various mechanics.

Split Fiction is an amazing game, and it is akin of any kids first visit to a candy store. It is crammed full of new ideas, new gameplay mechanics, bigger and shinier levels, but somehow along the way it’s lost a part of its soul and along with it some of the appeal It Takes Two had. Don’t get me wrong, it is a very good game, and I cannot recommend it enough, but the characters and the flow of the gameplay seem to have been misplaced among all the new things the developer throws at you. For me, this is a split experience.

Persona 5 Royal takes the formula established by the previous games and refines it to almost perfection. The intricacies of every system in the game, be it social- or combat-related, might be hard to understand at first, but Persona 5 Royal is pretty generous with objective deadlines, as well as tips and hints. However, if you want to get all that the game has to offer in terms of story, that’s a completely different tune. The outstanding soundtrack and visuals, as well as the top-notch combat system, social interactions, great characters and voice acting make Persona 5 Royal a JRPG masterpiece. This is a game that has little to no flaws, so everyone who loves the genre should make the time to play it.

Balatro is fast and addictive, a game that takes familiar ideas and adds enough twists and turns to keep players engaged. Take a look at the Collection to see how many potential jokers, booster packs, tags, and more can influence a run. Each run generates a sense of excitement and possibility, even if it ends quickly after a run of bad card draws. And I love it when a strategy comes together, getting just the right cards to activate the strong multiplier to defeat a boss on the last hand. The feeling of achievement, even if luck is a big element in every run, is something that many games struggle to deliver. Balatro has a great rogue-lite concept executed with care and I plan to play at least one run a day for the foreseeable future.

Slay the Princess takes the adventure game’s classic mechanics, including loads of dialogue and player choices, and uses them in cool new ways. It quickly becomes clear that killing the scion of royal blood is not what the experience is all about. And the story delivers interesting moments, tough choices, and satisfying revelations. These mix with the strong voice acting and engaging visual style to make the experience worth playing despite its limited gameplay. Fewer attempts at jump scares would have made it even easier to focus on the world's strangeness. Slay the Princess should appeal to fans of the uncanny who are interested a good story and solid twists.

Dave the Diver is captivating. It throws a lot of ideas at players, most of which are great. The dominant mechanics, diving and restaurant work, have depth and plenty of surprises. Even after many hours of harpoon fishing, it’s still thrilling to evaluate a target, aim, fire, struggle with it, and repeat until the result is extra sushi material. The many narrative threads don’t always connect with each other meaningfully, and there are some side activities that don’t impress. But Dave the Diver has cool characters, a strong core gameplay loop, and plenty of attention to detail to impress players with.

I can't recommend Monster Hunter: World enough to anyone who's after possible GOTY games. It's not just the best Monster Hunter game to date, I'm pretty sure it's one of the best titles of the year, and that's a big achievement for CAPCOM and this particular franchise mostly known in Japan.

The Talos Principle 2 is just as brilliant as the first game was, being larger and more detailed. During the over 30 hours it needs to finish, the fans of the puzzle genre will be delighted and immersed in a world that serves almost as a philosophical lesson. The already great puzzle design is now joined by a brilliant narrative and a pretty good pacing. There is no real replay value, but the content is rich enough to keep you engaged for a long while.